Govt Commits to Boost Pig Industry as PIB Hands Over Breeding Stock to Farmers

By Tendai Chisiri

In a ceremony held at PIB Arcturus Station on 13 November 2025, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, Prof Obert Jiri, officially opened a pig handover function organized by the Pig Industry Board (PIB).

The event saw the distribution of high‑quality breeding pigs to farmers, marking a significant step toward the modernization and recovery of Zimbabwe’s pig industry.

Prof Jiri emphasized the pig sector’s crucial role in achieving Vision 2030, saying, _“As Government, we view livestock — including pigs — as a strategic sub‑sector in the pursuit of Vision 2030, which seeks to achieve an upper‑middle‑income economy anchored on food security, job creation, and inclusive growth.”

He added that the pig industry “contributes significantly to the supply of animal protein, income generation, and employment, particularly among small‑to‑medium‑scale farmers.”

Highlighting the Ministry’s Livestock Growth Plan (2021‑2025), Prof Jiri noted the focus on “improved genetics and breeding, feed availability and cost efficiency, enhanced biosecurity and animal health, and access to markets and financial services.”

He commended PIB for its proactive response, stating, _“I wish to commend the Pig Industry Board for its proactive response to farmers’ needs and for leading this initiative with professionalism and integrity.”_

He urged farmers to “scale up and transform pig production into a structured, commercial, and profitable enterprise,” while encouraging the private sector to “continue innovating and partnering with our parastatals to close gaps in the value chain — from genetics and feed formulation to processing and marketing.”